Carmen Maria Machado
[isbn]
Machado dropped this incredible book into a world eager to overlook instances of queer domestic abuse. It's a no-holds-barred delve into the trauma she experienced, as well as a commentary about the lack of history and documentation of abuse in queer relationships. She does not coddle the reader, instead forcing us to confront a hard truth: queerness is not all sunshine and rainbows, queer people are fully capable of harm, and it is vital that... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Celeste Ng
[isbn]
Ng pitches you headfirst into the deep, complex lives of two very different families who give us an in-depth look at a small town polarized by a young, poor, Chinese mother who is fighting for custody of her baby, who has been adopted by a wealthy white family. The narrative of secrets and ideologies that are exposed is not unlike the current state of society.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Tillie Walden
[isbn]
Sweet, sad, and perfectly short, I Love This Part shows the growing feelings between two friends as they turn from platonic to romantic, borne of shared interest and seemingly bigger than the world around them. This story captures the engrossing emotions of young love and depicts the moment it breaks and the heartache that follows.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Madeline Miller
[isbn]
Going into this, I thought I knew exactly how it would end: Who doesn't know the tragic ending of the golden child, Achilles? Madeline Miller completely surprised me and this story swept me off my feet in a lyrical river of prose and mythology. The characters are fleshed out and unique from what we've been taught in school, and their connections bleed off the page to make a beautiful and enchanting story about the heroes of the Trojan war.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
[isbn]
Freddie is head over heels for the popular and mysterious Laura Dean. So in love that she'll keep going back to Laura no matter how many times she breaks up with Freddie, and despite all her friends' interventions. If you're not pulled in by the cover alone (seriously, how stunning?) just wait until you open it up. Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell have created a beautiful snippet of what it's like to be young, "in love," and in a toxic... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Taylor Jenkins Reid
[isbn]
I wish so badly to go back in time and forget this book so that I could experience reading it again for the first time. This is a heartbreaking and compelling story about the life of fictional megastar, Evelyn Hugo, and we follow her through decades of her life as the story explores themes of power, sexuality, and loss that tie in with her identity as a bisexual woman of color. It's wonderful and sad, so if you like a good cry, I can't recommend... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Kago
[isbn]
The elderly clients that young home aide Yukie is tasked with caring for throw her into bizarre and grueling situations that often blur the line between horror and comedy. Yukie is determined to give her clients the best care possible, and will quite literally stop at nothing to ensure their comfort. This was a wacky, dreamlike read that I found myself immersed in late into the night.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Mai K. Nguyen
[isbn]
Willow is having a hard time processing anger and sadness after losing her mom, and it's even more daunting because her emotions take the form of little monsters that she doesn't quite understand. She meets Pilu, a forest spirit who is going through troubles of her own, and whom Willow is determined to help to distract from her monsters. This is a great story about the importance of addressing your feelings and what it really means to be strong.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Taylor Jenkins Reid
[isbn]
Told as an oral history, we follow a group of rock stars on the rise in the ’70s and all the glamour and grit that comes with a life filled with sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. The switches in character narratives is clean and purposeful, and each characters has their own unique voice. Taylor Jenkins Reid has written one of the most immersive books I've ever read (I truly could not put it down) and I will eagerly anticipate anything she writes in... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Marissa Meyer
[isbn]
Set in a city that had been torn apart by a war between heroes and villains, Nova is determined to prove that the villains aren't what the heroes have portrayed them to be. They're a group of anarchists who see the faults in the system, and believe they have a better way to run the city. This story is a fresh take on the classic superhero trope because we get to see the good and bad on both sides, and the dynamic, funny characters that make up a... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Victoria Schwab
[isbn]
If Goosebumps is your cup of tea, City of Ghosts should be next on your list. Cassidy, her family, and her ghost friend Jacob move to Edinburgh to pursue a ghost hunting life, though Cassidy is the only one who can actually see ghosts. One day she finds that she's being haunted by an old ghost, and must enlist the help of an unlikely friend to stop the dangerous spirit. Though eerie and chilling, Schwab makes sure to add the perfect... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Nagata Kabi
[isbn]
After creating her very first manga and becoming successful in her career, Kabi finds that she's still experiencing intense loneliness and depression, and begins to reflect on her feelings by writing a diary exchange with herself. She documents her tense (and at times confusing) relationship with her family, living alone for the first time, attempts to self-motivate, and experiences in the dating world. She balances humor and tension to create a... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Victoria Jamieson
[isbn]
A funny and relatable story about the pains of growing up. Astrid and her best friend Nicole have been inseparable for years, and when Astrid decides to go to roller derby camp in the summer, she assumes that Nicole will want to as well. She wasn't expecting Nicole to go to dance camp instead, so Astrid sets out alone on a journey of skating, hair dying, colorful socks, new names, and most importantly, self-discovery and persistence. This book is... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Tillie Walden
[isbn]
Everything Tillie Walden draws into this world is stunning, and On a Sunbeam is no exception. We follow Mia through two timelines, in the present with her chosen family, a group of women and a nonbinary person who travel the galaxy repairing old buildings, and in the past with a love she lost. Themes of loss and heartbreak are paired with themes of acceptance and finding purpose to create a bittersweet atmosphere that slow burns into an... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Katie O'Neill
[isbn]
In a world full of fairy tales that follow the same patterns, this one stands out for breaking gender roles and providing fantastic representation for queer kids looking for a fairy tale ending. Plus, it's short, sweet, and the art is adorable. What more could you ask for? Thank you, Katie O'Neill, Princess Princess is the fairy tale we deserve!
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Ngozi Ukazu
[isbn]
# Hockey (Check Please! #1) is about so much more than college hockey bros. It's about college hockey bros who aren't afraid to show their emotions and support for one another! It's about college hockey bros who learn to foster healthy relationships through open communication! It's about college hockey bros facing the impending doom of adulthood and pursuing their dreams! I will not stop raving about how fantastic and adorable this book... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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V.E. Schwab
[isbn]
What a frighteningly good sequel to a story I didn't think could get better. In Vengeful we still follow the villains we've grown to know and love, but Schwab has turned the tables by introducing new villains — women who will stop at nothing to exercise the full range of their powers. Some are looking for revenge, and some are looking to amend past wrongs, but all of them are ruthless and powerful. I don't think this book could have come... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Tomi Adeyemi
[isbn]
Every part of this book, from the writing down to the end papers, is so detailed and imaginative that I know I'll have to read it a couple more times to fully appreciate its beauty. Fast-paced scenes, a unique magic system, and the complicated family dynamics that spur a lot of emotion kept me turning page after page. This is such a well-rounded debut, anything that comes after is sure to stun.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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V E Schwab
[isbn]
If you enjoy thrilling urban fantasies filled with rivalry and flush with characters that you'll hate to love and love to hate, Vicious is the right book for you. Two college students, Victor and Eli, will do anything (seriously, anything) to figure out how to give themselves superhuman abilities. When their experiments go wrong and only one pays the price, he is determined to make his old friend pay. They are both so morally gray, it... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Tillie Walden
[isbn]
Spinning is the kind of book that I wish had been available for me to read as a kid. It's about so much more than Walden's life as a competitive figure skater. She chronicles her youth as a closeted lesbian, her complicated relationships with peers and family, and the stress and emotions that come with growing up. This book feels serious and Walden's voice is mature, but I think kids from 12-18 will be able to connect deeply with her... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Mackenzi Lee
[isbn]
The surface level of this book is a fast-paced, inebriated, bisexual romp across Europe, but it tackles many important social issues along the way while providing a cheeky and diverse cast of characters that you are guaranteed to fall in love with. Lee's ability to discuss issues like racism and abuse (and many more) while keeping the core of the story a fun adventure novel set in the 18th century was seamless and deserves all the praise.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson
[isbn]
Everything you need to know about using gender neutral pronouns is right here in this witty and important book. Tristan (a cisgender man) shares information about the history of pronouns and how to advocate for nonbinary folks, while Archie (a nonbinary person) recounts some of their personal experiences and carries a discussion for nonbinary readers about family, friends, and acceptance. There are so many good things about this book, and it's... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Nagata Kabi
[isbn]
Nagata Kabi covers so many important subjects in this memoir that are hard to discuss, and that women are often told to suppress such as mental health, exploring sexuality, the fear of failure, and loneliness. The cute illustrations can be deceiving because although the book has it's funny moments, her story is very real and raw and filled with heavy emotions that might lead you to a good cry.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Seanan Mcguire
[isbn]
When I was a kid I had a recurring dream about the door to my crawlspace opening and calling me to a place that felt otherworldly, and I wished so badly that it would actually happen. To read Every Heart a Doorway and see that idea flourishing in Seanan McGuire's descriptive and lyrical writing was so satisfying. She builds fully fleshed-out characters and an enigmatic world in just under 170 pages that left me wanting more story, but... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Mark Siegel, Alexis Siegel, Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, Boya Sun
[isbn]
Filled with inventive world building, sci-fi themes (displayed perfectly with beautiful art), and brave heroes! The concept of five different planets being threatened by war was well thought out and set a bleak mood that really let the characters shine. I really enjoyed the characters in this graphic novel, because they all come from very different backgrounds but are able to work through hardship, make a lot of self-discoveries, and help others.... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Leslie Stein
[isbn]
Vignettes of everyday life may seem dull in theory, but Stein's soft watercolor illustrations and her ability to highlight simple but special moments make for a great collection. Reading these loosely structured stories feels like conversing with a good friend, and I really appreciate her willingness to let her readers in on the good, bad, and vulnerable times in her life.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Carmen Maria Machado
[isbn]
Machado intricately intertwines many different genres to create her own unsettling and fantastical tone in this stunning debut. Rife with stories of violence upon women and their bodies and queer love, Her Body and Other Parties tells an unapologetic and tense narrative about the struggles women are forced to face.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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V. E. Schwab
[isbn]
I have fallen head over heels for the amazing characters V. E. Schwab has created in this series. They are lovable and they all have flaws that they learn from — an aspect that carries the story beautifully. The characters, on top of the novel's magical fantasy elements, have made this one of my go-to recommendations!
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Jen Wang
[isbn]
When it comes to kids' graphic novels, it can sometimes be difficult to balance feel-good emotions with serious topics. Jen Wang balances both well in this sweet story about gender identity, acceptance, and artistic passion. The great story combined with whimsical illustrations makes this a perfect book for any graphic novel lover.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Katie O'Neill
[isbn]
O'Neill's stories are always unique, diverse, and illustrated with gorgeous art. The Tea Dragon Society is no exception. A young girl training to become a blacksmith stumbles upon a tea dragon, and when she goes to return it, she ends up falling in love with the history and tradition of tea dragons. I was immediately drawn to the passion in the characters and the vibrant earthy tones of the art!
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Angie Thomas
[isbn]
I can't stop telling people to read The Hate U Give. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the novel is about Starr Carter, who is the sole witness to a blatant injustice and now has to navigate the aftermath. Her struggle between speaking up and preserving her (and her amazing family's) safety is painful, but it is an important and timely narrative that needs to be discussed by everyone.
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Emil Ferris
[isbn]
This book oozes talent. The complex and melancholy story about a young girl who gets swept up in a mystery that could tear her family apart pulled on my heartstrings and has stuck with me since the beginning of this year. Ferris's art is impeccable, bold, and impressed me with every turn of the page, and even more so after reading her backstory. I cried multiple times and haven't stopped talking about it with my coworkers all year (sorry... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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